They're not voting because...

There is no choice except how we are to be screwed

I refuse to participate in my own slave auction. All of the candidates intend to sell our labour to a boss - all they are offering as policy is the terms of our indenture - whether more profit can be got from healthy workers with an expensive health service or from rickety child labour. I will only acknowledge as a vote something that puts my interests first - that eliminates capitalism and the need to sell the best part of my life to someone else in order to live. Abolish capitalism - THAT I'll vote for. It's the only choice worth the name. If not, I'll write 'Socialism' across my ballot paper.

written 29th Apr 2005

Responses

nico replies: It'd be nigh on impossible for the uk to abolish capitalism, trade would become untenable and the economy would crumble in the intermission. unfortnately your views are unlikely to ever become the majority view. It would take another world war for a swing of opinion towards socialism that significant. maybe you need to work within the system that exists to work towards socialist principles for othre issues before the climate is right for the revolution you propose.

choose to be screwed the way that narks you off the least ;)

written 2nd May 2005

tiger43 replies: Choose the party that you think will screw you the least or best, depending on your political or sexual preference.

written 2nd May 2005

Simon replies: Reply to Nico: this site IS meant to be NotApathetic, so I chose to start from the position that political apathy can be overcome ... your suggestion that it would take a world war to swing political opinion is effectively to make us the playthings of external forces, whereas I think that we can make real political change for ourselves without being forced into it by starvation or nuclear war.

That said, the converse of what you say is true - that *if* there were a global incident of such a kind, capitalism could not deal with it (look at its failings at dealing with comparatively mild ecological problems) and socialism would come to the fore precisely by being the last idea standing. That or barbarism, of course.

The upshot is that there is exactly as much chance of socialism working as there are socialists ready to make it work. So in the context of this vote every single vote for a socialist candidate, or ballot spoilt with 'socialism' or some such, is a positive step towards creating the majority necessary to make socialism happen.

SJW

written 4th May 2005

About Not Apathetic

NotApathetic was built so that people who are planning not to vote
in the UK General Election
on May 5th can tell the world why. We won't try to persuade you that
voting is a good or a bad idea - we're just here to record and share
your explanations. Whether ideological, practical or other, any reason
will do.

A lot of users would like us to
mention that if you spoil your ballot paper, it will
be counted. So if you want to record a vote for "none of the
above", you can.